2017 FULL LINEUP

1:00 pm - INDUSTRY PANEL MEET THE FILM MAKERS
Our Industry series starts off with a free event on the Thursday afternoon launching the festival. Hosted by Robert Bellamy, watch an in-depth interview live with some of the filmmakers attending BITS 2017 on “BITS Radio”. Everyone is invited to watch this informative live program at the Monarch Tavern.

9:30 pm - OPENING FILM: RED SPRING (Dir. Jeff Sinasac) WORLD PREMIERE (1hr 42mins)
The world has ended, taking humanity with it. With vampires numbering in the millions, humans have become an endangered species and it's against this backdrop that we meet Ray; a loving husband and father searching for his wife and daughter. Joined by a group of survivors dealing with their own grief and anger, his search takes them through Ontario until they meet another who offers a chance at life and respite from their vampiric predators. But how can safe harbour be found when danger stalks them at every turn?

with the short film PAINT THE TOWN RED (Dirs. Ariel Hansen & Christopher Graham) TORONTO PREMIERE (5:15 mins)
After receiving a pair of tickets in the mail, Andie and Josephine visit a mysterious new club, only to find things a little unusual.

Friday, November 24th

12:00 pm - INDUSTRY PANEL TAKE A STEP INTO VIRTUAL REALITY
Take a step into the future as we talk about Virtual Reality and how it could affect and enhance story telling. Filmmaker Ian Tuason who specializes in VR and 360 filmmaking, will do this informative lecture and introduction. This will include a hands-on demo with anyone who would like to try it will be available throughout the day.

1:30 pm - INDUSTRY PANEL KICKASS WOMEN OF CANADIAN HORROR
Canada has some of the greatest women in the bloody biz, from directors, producers, writers, and all things in between. We’ve invited some of these killer femmes out to share their stories, talk about the gals that inspire them, and why we need more women in horror.

3:00 pm - INDUSTRY PANEL FROM SHORTS TO FEATURES, TAKING YOUR FILM TO THE NEXT LEVEL
We have worked to put together a custom panel on how to take your film to the “next level”. Whether you are trying to make a short film that will attract attention for your feature film or you want to just improve the quality of your next feature, we have a team of experts to help you achieve it.

7:00 pm - KILL ORDER (formerly MEZA) (Dir. James Mark) CANADIAN PREMIERE (82mins)
When David, a troubled high school student who appears to suffer from mental illness, finds himself in a situation where he is about to be taken captive for reasons unknown, a dark power takes over his body opening the doors to a world of superhuman abilities and a past kept secret.

with the short film MARAUDER (Dir. Brendon Rathbone ) TORONTO PREMIERE (13 mins)
After the Marauder's motorcycle is stolen, the hunt is on for the bandits that stole it.

9:30 pm - BUCKOUT ROAD (Dir. Matthew Currie Holmes) (94 mins)
Buckout Road might be known as the most haunted road in New York State, but nobody really believed it… until now. A college class project on modern mythology turns deadly when a trio of students discovers a series of horrific urban legends surrounding Buckout Road may actually be true. The deeper they dig into the road’s dark, mysterious history, the more dangerous their quest becomes. From witches burning at the stake, to backwoods albino killers, to a modern, unstoppable stalker, writer/director and horror-film aficionado Matthew Currie Holmes leaves no genre unexploited in his loving throwback to late-80’s midnight movies.

with the short film SCRAPS (Dir. Christipher Giroux ) TORONTO PREMIERE (12:33 mins)
On a successful date, Jessica and Billy decide they don't want to the evening to end just yet. On their walk to Billy's place they run into a threat but who's really the threat to who when the truth is revealed.

10:00 pm - BITS DANCE PARTY & GALLERY SHOW
Join the BITS team and film makers for a night of drinks, dancing and voting for Best Poster at the The Super Wonder Gallery (Only 3 doors down from the cinema.)

Saturday, November 25th

2:00 pm - BLOOD CHILD (Dir. Jennifer Phillips) WORLD PREMIERE (92 mins)
Blood Child a supernatural horror thriller based on a true story. A young woman, Ashley DiAngelo suffers a devastating miscarriage. In a desperate attempt to get over the agony of losing her child, Ashley resorts to the South East Asian black magic practice of rising her own “ghost child”. She seeks the help of her Indonesian maid, Siti, and tasks her to find a “bomoh” (witch doctor) who is able to trap the soul of unborn children. However, what Ashley does not realize is that there are terms and conditions attached to raising a ghost child. When Ashley finds herself pregnant again, a series of terrifying events begin to unfold in the DiAngelo home. The family soon learns that the ghost child is not about to play second fiddle to the impending new addition to the family and unleashes an unspeakable evil upon the family.

with the short films THE WOLF (Dir. Carl Tremblay) TORONTO PREMIERE (14:56 mins)
Sarah (Sara Sue Vallee) and Gabriel (Patrick Gauthier) are planning on spending time at a cabin to give their relationship a second chance. The owner of the cabin (Mario Saint-Amand) and his pack have other plans.

and CRUX: BLACK SOL EMPIRE (Dir. Steve Choptiany) WORLD PREMIERE (3:19 mins)
It is often said that the devil can be found at the crossroads; it is the proverbial meeting point of good and evil. The bridge between heaven and hell. The battleground that may be inside each individual's soul.

4:30 pm - FAKE BLOOD (Dir. Rob Grant) TORONTO PREMIERE (1h 21min)
Two filmmakers receive a disturbing fan video inspired by one of their horror films; motivating them to investigate their responsibility portraying violent cinema and introducing them to the real world of violent criminals and their victims.

with the short films ALICE, ALONE (Dir. Sean Cammack) WORLD PREMIERE (10:27 mins)
Newly engaged Alice has moved to Canada to be with her fiancé, but as time goes on she finds herself isolated and despondent. Her art provides some comfort, as well as listening to her upstairs neighbours, whom she can hear through a hole in the bathroom ceiling. However, as that relationship becomes increasingly unstable, Alice begins to worry for the woman's safety. Eventually, when violence erupts, she decides to take action.

EVEN THE DARKNESS HAS ARMS (Dir. Chris Bavota) TORONTO PREMIERE
In the middle of the night, a man is haunted by the manifestation of his fears.

LETTERS (Dir. Michael Goyert) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Phil and Gerty play their usual Sunday afternoon game of “Letters”. But today is different. Something dark boils below the surface of the game, setting off a series of unexpected events, forever changing their marriage.

THE ONE I ADORE (Dir. Jason Seelmann) WORLD PREMIERE
A story of love lost and the lengths some can go to get it back.

ITCH (Dir. Sean Patrick Kelly) WORLD PREMIERE
A man with an uncontrollable Itch on his hand goes through increasingly extreme measures to get rid of it..

DON’T CLICK (Dir. Ghey Kim) TORONTO PREMIERE
A young man watches a snuff film sent to his email. When the film stops half way through, he has the option to continue. To find out what happens next, all he has to do is click.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN (Dir. Tyler A. Williams) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Sensing a strange presence, Lauren awakes to a seemingly empty home. Upon investigation, she soon realizes that there is something much darker at play.

TIMEBOX (Dir. Daelan Wood) TORONTO PREMIERE
A couple of backwoods hicks discover a time machine in the woods. Rather than use it to do something smart, like bet on sports or game the stock market, they use it to hunt each other. Repeatedly.

THE HAG (Dir. Julian Zakrzewski) TORONTO PREMIERE
It seems like an ordinary night when Emily turns out the lights in her apartment, little does she know that her night would become a living nightmare.

BESTIA (Dir. Gigi Saul Guerrero) CANADIAN PREMIERE
“Bestia” follows the lone survivor (played by Mathias Retamal) of a disaster as he awakens on a deserted beach. It becomes clear that there are more dangers lurking in the woods than a hungry beast.

I MAKE CORPSES (Dir. Kyle Martellacci) TORONTO PREMIERE
A serial killer continues his macabre hobby during a zombie outbreak.

CONSUME (Dirs. Michael Peterson) TORONTO PREMIERE
Inspired by true events, residential school survivor Jacob Wematim (Julian Black Antelope), struggles to hang onto his family, land and identity as his personal demons threaten to manifest in the form of the Wendigo spirit (Wilma Pelly) and take it all away.

9:30 pm - THE CHILD REMAINS (Dir. Michael Melski) TORONTO PREMIERE (1hr 52 mins)
An expectant couple’s intimate weekend turns to terror when they discover their secluded country inn is a haunted maternity home where unwanted infants and mothers were murdered. Inspired by the true story of the infamous 'Butterbox Babies', THE CHILD REMAINS is a twisting supernatural thriller that emphasizes story and suspense over shock and gore. From the producer of the acclaimed horror thriller The Corridor, starring Cannes Best Actress winner Suzanne Clement (Mommy), Allan Hawco (Frontier), Shelley Thompson (Labyrinth) and genre hero Geza Kovacs (Scanners, The Dead Zone), THE CHILD REMAINS is about the evil that lurks behind the postcard.

with the short film DESTRUCTION MAKES THE WORLD BURN BRIGHTER (Dir. Kalen Artinian) WORLD PREMIERE (6 mins)
A young couple in the not so distant future find their secret existence threatened when reserve runs low.

Sunday, November 26th

2:00 pm - ONCE UPON A TIME AT CHRISTMAS (Dir. Paul Tanter
) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE (1hr 42min)
In the twelve days leading up to Christmas, the residents of the snowy and isolated town of Woodridge are being murdered in a variety of gruesome ways by a psychotic Santa and Mrs Claus. While the small-town cops scramble to protect the townsfolk, the killings seem to center around one young woman who may be the final victim on Santa''s list. As the slaughter continues and the bodies pile up, it seems that notjing and no one may be able to stop the murderers before they complete their own deadyl take on the twelve days of Christmas.

with the short film HUMAN CATTLE (Dir. Carlos Henriques) TORONTO PREMIERE (9:25 mins)
The Amazon is a beautiful place to visit but you wouldn’t want to die there! Three sexy teenagers take a fun-filled trip out to the Amazon for an exciting getaway filled with seductive pleasures and forbidden desires. Failing to hear the canoe tour guide’s (Mitch Markowitz, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein) warnings about the evils that lurk in the Jungle, they will now have to fight for survival against trigger-happy bounty hunters, blood-thirsty Cannibals and massive flesh-eating monsters.

4:30 pm - ART OF OBSESSION (Dir. Ryan M. Andrews) CANADIAN PREMIERE (92 mins)
After losing his family in a car accident and seeing his latest work bomb, famous novelist, Kennedy Sait, becomes a recluse and turns to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain he feels. Struggling to make it through day to day, Kennedy's life is turned around after meeting his neighbor's new wife, Patricia. Infatuated with her, she becomes his "muse" and she not only inspires him to create again, but she also inspires him to live again. But his infatuation with her, becomes a dangerous obsession. And so he doesn't lose Patricia, he kidnaps her and keeps her prisoner in his attic. Police comb the neighborhood, hoping to find a trace of the missing woman, never knowing that she is right under their noses the whole time. Patricia tries keeping a level head and is always looking for a way to escape, though she fears she may never break free of her capture as Kennedy's grasp on reality continues on a frightening downward spiral.

with the short film TALKING HEADS (Dir. Alyx Melone) WORLD PREMIERE (14 mins)
A frightening surrealist fable about the lengths to which a woman will go to be beautiful.

7:00 pm - DARKEN (Dir. Audrey Cummings) CANADIAN PREMIERE (90 mins)
Darken is set in a bizarre, mysterious, and violent unknown world with danger and death around every corner. After a young woman is accosted by a dying warrior in the middle of the street, a bizarre incantation propels her into the realm of Darken - a violent prison-like world of labyrinthine rooms, interconnected with no apparent rhyme or reason and no way of escape. As she fights for survival within this brutal place, she finds allies who are rebelling against the rule of a self-appointed religious despot who demands allegiance to an all-powerful god called "Mother Darken." Eve and her allies must fight with everything they have if they are to have any hope of surviving the horrors Darken has in store for them.

with the short film BANSHEE (Dir. Adam O'Brien) TORONTO PREMIERE (13 mins)
While she was under the supervision of her big sister, Olivia got lost into the woods over night and got back with something different. She didn't come back alone.

+ this ticket gets you into our yearly awards show starting at 9pm. The Bloodies hosted by Nick Smyth.